License plate



Aug. 31, 1943. A. w. BECKER 2,328,253 LICENSE PLATE Filed MaQrph 14,1940 INVENTOR. fix. BERT VIZ BECKER.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 31, 1943 LICENSE PLATE Albert W. Becker, Hartford, Conn.,assignor to Becker Permanent Plate Company, Hartford,- Conn., acorporation of Connecticut Application March 14, 1940, Serial No.323,921

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) convenient to change the year insert plateswhich-are used on the said registration plates, because, on a largenumber of automobiles, it requires the removal of the entire plate fromthe body of the vehicle before the insert, as shown in my abovementioned patent, can be removed and 7 replaced.

On some vehicles, it is possible to change the inserts and reach in backof the plate to bend down the prongs of the insert without having toremove the entire plate. On the majority of the vehicles, however, thelicense plates are mounted so close to the body of the vehicle that theyhave to be removed from the vehicle before the year insert plate can beremoved or renewed. This is particularly true in vehicles of the moremodern designs where a special recess is provided in the body of thevehicle to receive and illuminate the license plate, and there is apositive tendency towards the adoption and standardization of thelatermodel bodies. v

An'object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a licensenumber plate, of the character set forth in the above mentioned patent,in which the year insert number plate can be interchanged withoutnecessitating the removal of the entire registration plate from thevehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby the yearinsert plate may be assembled to the main or registration plate andlocked in place thereon entirely from the'front of the main plate.

A further object is to provide locking .means operable entirely from thefront of the main plate and means in connection with said locking meansto visually indicate when the said locking plate embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section thereof on line I----! ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view illustrating the elements of thisinvention.

FlglisaplanviewinsectiononlineHof '03s I Fig. 5 is an enlarged viewillustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a side view in vertical section on line 1-1 but showing aninsert plate in place therein.

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation illustrating a further modified form ofthe invention.

Fig. 9 is a side view in vertical section on line 99 of Fig. 8.

As illustrated in the drawing the numeral 5 denotes the registrationplate which may be of any desired size or design, having the usualinsignia, in the form of letters 6, which may designate a certaindistrict, numerals 1, designating the number of the vehicle, and letters8 designating the state.

This invention contemplates the use of a panel 9 which may be preferablyraised above the surface of the main plate and, if desired, the raisedsurface of this panel may be colored to match insignia of the mainplate.

The said raised panel is provided with tabs, or retaining projectionsH), which are spaced slightly above the surface of the raised panel soas to overlie an insert number plate II when inserted on the said raisedpanel and in back of the said projections.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing, the said projections may beformed above the surface of the panel by piercing the main plate, as atii, in order to simplify the operation of producing said projections.

The said panel may be provided with a raised border 13 which may beconveniently slotted, as at ll, so as to provide a. through recess asindicated on I I to receive a tab it which projects from the insertplate ll.

When the said insert plate is to be assembled to the main plate,-it issimply mounted upon the surface of the'raised panel and slid downwardlybehind the projections III as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. During thisoperation, the tab or tongue I is inserted through the openings I4 and"then bent upwardly to lock the said insert by having the tab hooked overthe bar which extends between the recesses ll.

The tab It may be provided with a weakening line. as indicated at II orthe entire tab maybe constructed of a sufllciently brittle metal whichwill cause the tab to break off upon attempt to straighten the same soas to unlock it from the said number plate after the said tab has oncebeen bent into place to lock said insert plate as illustrated in Fig. 1.This provides visual indication thattheinsertplateislawfullybeingundwould break of! at the line I] and so render it impossible to use thesaid insert plate upon another registration plate.

Itwill, therefore, be clearly seen that my invention will provide asubstantial degree of security and protection against the unlawfulremoval orv a year insert from the vehicle registration plates and that,when an attempt has been made to re-use said inserts, it will be clearlyindicated by the absence of the tab bent over the-locking portion or barat the edge of the raised panel.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 8, the raised panel is omittedand the year insert i8 may be mounted upon the main plate I! by the useof raised prongs 20. In this case the insert plate is slipped on thesurface of the main plate, under the said ears, and the tab 2| isinserted through the yoke, or looking bar 22, and

then bent over in the same manner as above described.

It will be also noted that the locking tabs,

in each of the forms illustrated, are slightly to one side of theinsertplate. 'I'his is to prevent the insertion of the plate in the wrongposi= tion.

' In the form illustrated in-Fig. 5, the raised border 22' on the panelis provided with extensions 23 in lieu of the tabs iii, and the sides ofsaid border are tapered, together with the insert plate 24, so that whenthe said plate is inserted upon the panel any scratches caused lockingmeans provides for securely holding the l aaaaass insert plate inposition, with the tab It in back oi the main plate, and, at the sametime, eliminating a tendency for tampering with the lockmg tab as whenit is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, although the'said latterform is here preferred.

In this further modified iorm, apertures 28 and 29 are provided in themain plate and the insert, respectively, in order'that a suitable membermay be inserted, such as a nail or the like,

therethrough to unbend the tab it for removal or the insert plate; thesaid tab being weakened on the line 30 so that it willbreak oil toprevent re-use of the insert plate.

I claim:

1. A article of the character described'comprising a main plate, a flatinsert plate interchangeably mounted -on said main plate and having astraight tab extending therefrom, means upon the front surface of saidmain plate providing an aperture adapted to receive said tab in itsnormal condition and permit bending of the tab entirely from a positionat the front of said main plate to a position back of the same forlocking said insert plate to said main plate, and meanscomprising'apertures through said insert plate and main plate providingaccess to the bent tab for unbendingthe same to unlock the insert plate.

2. In an article ofthe character described a main plate, an auxiliaryplate, and means for securing said auxiliary plate to the main plate;

. said means including a tab extendingv from the auxiliary plate, a tabreceiving opening in said main plate adapted to receive said tab from aposition in front of the main plate and permit bending of the tab to aposition back of the main plate, and means including an aperture in saidmain plate adjacent to said tab receiving opening and a separateaperture in said auxiliary'plate in register with the aperture in themain plate to provide access to said tab, when bent, and permitunbending thereof for releasing'said auxiliary plate.

ALBERT W. BECKER.

